ITV Disney content sharing deal
ITV and Disney+ have entered into what both sides are calling a “first-of-its-kind” agreement to share content between their platforms. From 16 July, audiences on each service will be able to access a curated and regularly refreshed collection of series and films under the banners Taste of ITVX and Taste of Disney+. The move marks a significant strategic partnership between a free-to-air broadcaster and a global streaming giant.
Disney+ subscribers will now be able to watch high-profile ITV content including the true-life drama Mr Bates vs The Post Office, espionage thriller Spy Among Friends, selected seasons of Love Island, and crime drama favourites such as Endeavour, Vera and the first series of Karen Pirie, timed with the second series’ release on ITVX. Other additions include The 1% Club and Olivia Attwood’s investigative series Price of Perfection.
In return, ITVX viewers will gain access to some of Disney+’s most acclaimed series and films. The initial line-up features the first season of FX’s award-winning The Bear, Star Wars original Andor, and Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building. Unscripted titles such as The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives and The Kardashians will sit alongside family favourites like Lilo and Stitch: The Series and Phineas and Ferb.
Both platforms will offer these selections at no extra cost, with advertising sold against them — ITVX through its ad-supported model, and Disney+ via its standard with ads tier.
Disney+ EMEA general manager Karl Holmes said the deal is designed to be “mutually beneficial and mutually supportive”, helping both services reach audiences beyond their core demographics. He noted that while Disney+ skews younger, with a strong base among under-55s, ITVX attracts an older audience, making the cross-promotion an opportunity to shift perceptions and broaden reach. Holmes added that this arrangement could be the first of several similar agreements with other free-to-air broadcasters in different markets.
Kevin Lygo, ITV’s managing director of Media and Entertainment, described Disney as “fantastic partners with a brilliant breadth of content” and said the alliance would showcase the range of both platforms to complementary audiences.
The agreement will see around 70–100 hours of Disney+ content available on ITVX at any given time, with a slightly higher volume of ITVX content appearing on Disney+, reflecting the longer run lengths of many ITV series. For reality and entertainment programming, the deal offers a relatively quick second window on Disney+, with earlier series made available around the same time as new ones air.
For both parties, the arrangement strengthens brand presence in a competitive streaming market while giving consumers greater choice without extra cost. For Disney+, it is a chance to bring prestige titles to viewers who might not consider the service, and for ITVX, it is an opportunity to tap into Disney’s global brand power and premium catalogue. As Holmes put it, the goal is for both platforms to grow and for viewers to benefit from more high-quality, easily accessible content.
